Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Social Sciences in STEM

Background:

• Underrepresented minorities (URMs) face significant attrition in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields compared to their peers.
• Existing academic pathways disproportionately hinder URM student progression in STEM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the reasons behind the higher "leakage" of URM students from STEM academic pathways.
• To propose actionable recommendations for improving URM persistence in undergraduate STEM education.

Main Methods:

• Review of current data on URM persistence in STEM.
• Application of Kurt Lewin's planned approach to change framework.
• Development of five recommendations for institutional intervention.

Main Results:

• Identified institutional barriers as key factors in URM attrition.
• Proposed interventions to enhance student interest, commitment, and ability in STEM.
• Emphasized the need for institutional accountability and data tracking.

Conclusions:

• Five recommendations are presented to foster URM persistence in STEM at the undergraduate level.
• Successful implementation hinges on institutional-level data collection and analysis of successes and failures.
• Addressing institutional barriers is crucial for equitable STEM education.